Leonard Sweet – författare

The gospel presents a life-changing NUTS wisdom that conflicts with normal ways of making sense of the world. There is the World According to Normal. There is the World According to NUTS . . . where NUTS is an acronym for Never Underestimate the Spirit. The wisdom of Jesus is a NUTS wisdom.—From the book All people are different, but some are more different than others. Christians are meant to be the most different of all. Yet we often “normalize” God. We judge what is a successful Christian and a successful church by the world according to Normal, not the world according to NUTS, the wisdom of Jesus.In Jesus Drives Me Crazy!, Leonard Sweet reminds us of the “crazy wisdom” of Christ and how our lives and our churches can and should be different from the way “normal” people live. He says, “Jesus wants to drive you crazy . . . crazy in love with God, with life.” Jesus Drives Me Crazy! challenges you to make the upside-down wisdom of God your own, inspiring you to live an extraordinary Christian life that does not conform to the world, but transforms the world.When you truly grasp the freeing truth that we do not have to conform to this world, then you can become the crazy, zany, unpredictable, but powerful force for Jesus you were intended to be. Jesus Drives Me Crazy! shows how, by losing your mind, you can find your soul.

Getting a Christian worldview is all the rage these days. But how about a Christian worldlife? Got one of those? Leonard Sweet wants to show you the ins and outs of living an old-fashioned faith in these newfangled times. In his engaging, symphonic, thought-bytes style, Sweet invites you to . . . Mezuzah your inverse * Do dirt and do the dishes * Cycle to church Give history a shove * Cheer rivals from the bench * Dance the salsa SoulSalsa unpacks biblical faith in ways that can change how you live in the real world. You can be a man or woman who walks the ancient path of a disciple in the world of the future. Because the NEW future is NOW--and now is the time to practice the "17 Lifestyle Requirements for Membership in the Postmodern Body of Christ." It’s no longer enough to say "Say Amen, Somebody." It’s time to "Dance the Salsa, Everybody!"--in a culture that desperately needs to see your moves.

What should the church look like today? What should be the focus of its message? How should I present that message? We live in as pivotal and defining an age as the Great Depression or the Sixties–a period whose definition, say some cultural observers, includes a warning of the church’s influence. The result? A society measurably less religious but decidedly more spiritual. Less influenced by authority than by experience. More attuned to images than to words. How does the church adapt to such a culture? Or should it, in fact, eschew adapting for maintaining a course it has followed these last two millennia? Or something in between? These are exactly the questions asked in The Church In Emerging Culture by five Christian thinker-speaker-writers, each who advocate unique stances regarding what the church’s message should be (and what methods should be used to present it) as it journeys through this evolving, postmodern era. The authors are: Andy Crouch–Re:Generation Quarterly editor-in-chief Michael Horton–professor and reformed theologian Frederica Mathewes-Green–author, commentator, and Orthodox Christian Brian D. McLaren–postmodernist, author, pastor, and Emergent senior fellow Erwin Raphael McManus–author and pastor of the innovative and interethnic L.A.-based church, Mosaic Most unique about their individual positions is that they’re presented not as singular essays but as lively discussions in which the other four authors freely (and frequently) comment, critique, and concur. That element, coupled with a unique photographic design that reinforces the depth of their at-once congenial and feisty conversation, gives you all-access entrée into this groundbreaking discourse. What’s more, general editor Leonard Sweet (author of SoulTsunami and AquaChurch, among several other acclaimed texts) frames the thought-provoking dialogue with a profoundly insightful, erudite introductory essay–practically a book within a book. The Church In Emerging Culture is foundational reading for leaders and serious students of all denominations and church styles.

Jesus Manifesto presents a fresh unveiling of Jesus, seeking to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a world—and a church—that has lost sight of Him.Christians have made the gospel about so many things—things other than Christ. Religious concepts, ideas, doctrines, strategies, and methods that begin to eclipse the beauty, the glory, and the reality of the Lord Jesus Himself.We know a lot about our Lord, but we don't know Him very well. We know a lot about trying to be like Jesus, but very little about living by His indwelling life. Jesus Manifesto provides clarity on the most important points of our faith. It is a prophetic call to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a world and church that has lost sight of Him.This manifesto emphasizes ten crucial areas of restoring the supremacy of Jesus Christ, noting:Christians don’t follow Christianity; they follow ChristChristians don't proclaim themselves; they proclaim ChristChristians don’t point people to core values; they point people to the CrossChristians don't preach about Christ; they preach ChristRead this book to see your Lord like you've never seen Him before and restore the sovereignty of Jesus in your life.

Are you hungry to hear God’s voice, but don’t know how? Jesus Speaks teaches readers how to listen for the voice of Jesus and how you can grow in your ability to recognize and respond to his voice daily.While the Lord frequently speaks to us, we don’t really hear his voice until we recognize it. In Jesus Speaks, Sweet and Viola unpack the many ways the Lord speaks to his people today by exploring how the disciples interacted with the risen Jesus—from the Gospels to Revelation. They demystify the process in a warm, practical way, providing insights on how you can recognize the voice of Jesus in your own life.Separated into two sections, the first provides a big-picture look at how the resurrected Jesus spoke in the New Testament, while the second contains short, actionable chapters filled with scriptural quotes and references. Both sections work together to help you recognize and respond to the voice of Jesus in your everyday life.Readers will be able to:Gain a firm foundation in the scriptures, learning how Jesus spoke to his disciplesDispel myths and misinformation surrounding what it means to hear the voice of Jesus todayGrow the ability to recognize God’s voice and learn how to respondEssential for Christians seeking to improve their relationship with Jesus, Jesus Speaks is the long-awaited third volume in the JESUS trilogy: Jesus Manifesto; Jesus: A Theography; and Jesus Speaks.

Introducing a new kind of Jesus biography: Transform the tired and familiar way you have read the Bible into an electrifying journey of rediscovering Christ. In this compelling work, authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola reclaim the entire Bible as a gripping narrative about Jesus Christ.Jesus says, “The Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39 NLT). But what does that mean exactly?Virtually every other “Jesus biography” begins with the nativity account in Bethlehem. In this innovative book, Sweet and Viola begin before time, in the Triune God, and tell the complete interconnected story of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation.Jesus: A Theography is the first book ever written to combine historical Jesus studies with biblical theology, crafting together one breathtaking saga that tells the Jesus story in both Old and New Testaments. This groundbreaking book clearly demonstrates that every bit of Scripture is part of the same stunning drama - what the authors refer to as the theography of Jesus Christ.Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola (authors of Jesus Manifesto and Jesus Speaks) unfold the greatest story ever told in a fresh and invigorating way. Whether you are a seasoned Christian scholar, a new believer, or someone who is intrigued by Jesus, this book unveils the discoveries of a lifetime, transforming the tired and familiar way we have read the Bible into an electrifying journey of rediscovering Christ.Jesus: A Theography:Tells the complete and interconnected story of Jesus, from Genesis to RevelationCombines historical Jesus studies with biblical theologyProves that the main subject of the Old Testament is Jesus ChristSecond, standalone volume in the JESUS trilogyLeonard Sweet and Frank Viola set out on a journey of discovery with one goal: to help restore the sovereignty of Jesus Christ above all else. This led to their national bestseller, Jesus Manifesto. Two years later, they released Jesus: A Theography, beautifully establishing that all Scripture unveils a person—the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2016 they released the final volume in the trilogy: Jesus Speaks. All three volumes of the JESUS trilogy will lead the reader to a deeper understanding of Christ.

2012: An ancient prophecy quietly unfolds as a fragmenting world accelerates its descent into massive chaos.Then, in 2048, the prophecy comes to fruition. US president Matthew Serafino is sworn into office, and University of Virginia historian Paul Binder receives a cryptic but summoning message. Strange circumstances and bizarre discoveries lead Paul to London, where he meets a brilliant and beautiful manuscript specialist, Angela Matthews Krall, in order to decipher an unknown Syrian manuscript with special powers. Together, they uncover clues that lead them both down a mysterious, life-or-death path.Global intrigue, cascading natural catastrophes, and a complexity of characters, motives, and symbolic traditions intersect as Paul and Angela delve into forgotten traditions and lost meanings. Life-changing discoveries force them to struggle with questions about their own faith and the nature of truth and hope. Suddenly they find themselves positioned either to lead humanity into a new future or to watch as the earth dissolves into total destruction. The Seraph Seal combines apocalyptic intrigue with a journey of love and discovery that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. It will lead you into a world where only you can determine the future of the earth as we know it.

“FOLLOW ME.”These two words echo the heart-defining call of our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. Sadly, this life-changing invitation has lost much of its original meaning. Immersed in a society that worships success, we have succumbed to a trendyfixation with leadership. In I Am a Follower, author Leonard Sweet explains how Christians in a twenty-first-century corporate-obsessed culture have shifted away from a Jesus art of following toward a popularized form of leading.Through a colorful mélange of practical applications, imaginative metaphors, and probing biblical exposition based in gospel truth, Sweet reveals that the summons of Jesus and the message of the New Testament point clearly to an emphasis not on imitation but on incarnation, not on leading but on following.Join Sweet on an exciting and intentional journey from leadership cult to followership culture. Discover for yourself the way, the truth, and the abundantlife of following Jesus Christ and what it truly means to “Follow Me”!“At times I felt like I was reading Jeremiah, challenging the shepherds of Israel. This is a much needed and long overdue book.”—BOB ROBERTS, senior pastor, Northwood Church“If there was ever a leader who could convince me that it’s really never been about leading, that would have to be Len Sweet. May we all, like Len, become followers.”—MARK BATTERSON, lead pastor, National Community Church